Hi! New to this. I’m running an Advent Laptop with Vista OS. I’ve downloaded the relevent Audacity version (I think!) and I have a tape recorded connected to the line-input via a stereo RCA>1/8" connector. When I try to recordto/playback from a newly created Audacity stereo file I can only see/hear the waveforms on one channel. The other chaneel (L) is flatlined. ANy ideas what I might be doing wrong here??
With it being the left channel that is dead (I presume that is the upper channel of the stereo track?), the first thing that I would check is leads and connectors.
Advent Laptop with Vista OS… connected to the line-input via a stereo RCA>1/8" connector.
Most laptops don’t have line-in… only have mono mic-in and stereo headphone out. If your laptop doesn’t have 3 audio jacks (line, mic, headphones) check your documentation and check to see if your computer has a utility that can switch between mic & line.
You may need an external USB audio interface with line inputs. (The Behringer UCA202 is popular and inexpensive.) Don’t buy a “USB soundcard” because they are like laptops with only mic-in ahd headphone-out,
Hi! Thanks for your swift & informative reply! My laptop does have a dedicated line-in 1/8" socket so I’m guessing this is a hardware issue (I have tried ‘wiggling’ the physical connection a number of times now but no joy). I’ll look into getting it repaired or, alternatively, just bypassing this presumably faulty socket altogether and getting hold of the Behringer interface you suggest. THANKS!
(I have tried ‘wiggling’ the physical connection a number of times now but no joy).
Have you tried another cable/adapter? And, swap the left & right RCA connections to see if the problem switches sides.
I’ll look into getting it repaired or, alternatively, just bypassing this presumably faulty socket altogether and getting hold of the Behringer interface you suggest.
Yeah… About a week ago I “bent’” the headphone connection on my laptop. I’m using a USB soundcard (which I happened to have) until I get in the mood to open-up the computer and attempt a repair.
Thanks for the top tips DVDdoug, I’m off for another wiggle (for want of a better phrase!)